As part of the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) application process, you’ll need to link your Centrelink account with your myGov account. Using your Customer Reference Number (CRN) can help Centrelink and other government agencies to easily identify your Centrelink record. If you don’t have a CRN, you’ll just need to prove your identity to Centrelink to get a CRN before you can proceed with your FTB application.
So, if you’re about to apply for the FTB without a CRN, here’s a quick rundown on how to get one.
What is a CRN?
A CRN is a set of 9 unique numbers ending with a letter that’s assigned to you by Centrelink once you prove your identity with them. This number is used to identify your Centrelink record and remains the same for all Centrelink payments and services. Even if you stop receiving Centrelink payments or services, your CRN will stay on file in case you need it in the future.
What you need to claim the FTB
The FTB is a two-part payment that’s designed to help with the cost of raising children. To be eligible for this payment, you must:
- Have a dependent child or a full-time secondary student aged 16 to 19 who isn’t getting a pension, payment or benefit like Youth Allowance,
- Care for the child for at least 35% of the time, and
- Meet an income test.
When it comes to claiming the FTB, you’ll need to link your Centrelink account to your myGov account. You’ll also need to provide Centrelink with a range of information, including supporting documentation, proof of your child’s birth or adoption and proof of your identity. That’s where your CRN comes in.
If you’ve claimed a Centrelink payment or service in the past, or simply proven your identity to Centrelink you would have been provided with a CRN. You can use this to prove your identity and it also helps Centrelink to identify your Centrelink record.
You can find your CRN on any letters that Centrelink has sent you or on your concession card if you have one. If you can’t find your CRN or you don’t have one, you’ll need to prove your identity with Centrelink before they issue your CRN.
How to get a CRN
If you’re planning on applying for the FTB or any other Centrelink payments, you’ll need a CRN. If you’ve never claimed a Centrelink payment or service before or you can’t remember your CRN, you can still apply for the FTB, you’ll just need to prove your identity first to get a CRN. You can do this online, over the phone or in person, whatever’s most convenient for you.
Proving your identity online
When it comes to proving your identity online, you’ve got two choices. You can either:
- Use your myGov account, or
- Use a strong Digital Identity.
Using your myGov account
The quickest and easiest way to get a CRN is through your myGov account. If you don’t have a myGov account, creating one is fairly straightforward, you’ll just need to follow the steps on the myGov website.
Once you’ve got your myGov account up and running, proving your identity to get a CRN is easy. Just select View, Link Services and then Centrelink.
From here you’ll need to provide:
- Details from 2 acceptable identity documents and your Medicare card, and
- A few other personal details.
Using a strong Digital Identity
Alternatively, if you choose to use a strong Digital Identity, you’ll need to download and use the myGovID app to get a strong level Digital Identity. As part of the process, you’ll have to enter details from your identity documents and verify your photo.
Once you’ve obtained your strong level Digital Identity, you’ll just need to sign in to your myGov account and use your Digital Identity to link Centrelink and prove your identity.
Proving your identity over the phone
If you’re not able to prove your identity online, you can give Centrelink a call to prove who you are over the phone.
You’ll just need to provide identity details from one document in each of these categories:
- A commencement document to show your birth or arrival in Australia,
- A primary document to show the use of your identity in the community, and
- A secondary document to show the use of your identity in the community.
Once you prove who you are over the phone, Centrelink will be able to provide you with a CRN. You’ll just need to make sure you provide an acceptable photo identity document in person at a Centrelink service centre before submitting a claim for the FTB.
Proving your identity in person
Lastly, if you’re not able to prove your identity online or over the phone, you can visit a Centrelink service centre to prove who you are in person.
Again, you’ll need to provide one document from the following categories:
- A commencement document to show your birth or arrival in Australia,
- A primary document to show the use of your identity in the community, and
- A secondary document to show the use of your identity in the community.
At least one of these has to be an accepted photo identity document, so be sure to make sure you’ve got your documents in order before heading into a service centre. You can find a list of acceptable documents on the Centrelink website. Even if you can’t provide some of the documents listed, it's still worth talking to Centrelink to see if they’re able to prove your identity using an alternative method to provide you with a CRN.
Once you’ve got your CRN, you’ll be able to submit a claim for the FTB.
From calculating the Child Care Subsidy to breaking down the different parts of the FTB, Care for Kids has you covered when it comes to understanding the cost of childcare. Jump online to check out our great range of resources or use our Child Care Subsidy calculator to work out how much your family could claim and estimate your out-of-pocket childcare expenses.
